Jethro Visits Moses (18:1-12)

Moses’ father-in-law came to visit Moses in the wilderness and brought Moses’ wife, Zipporah, and his two sons, Gershom, and Eliezer. Months have passed and Moses’ family is about to be reunited and restored. Zipporah had called Moses a “bloody husband” after they had circumcised their son. We hear nothing more about these two sons. Not all great men produce great children and Moses sacrificed his family in God’s mission to free the Hebrews from slavery. There is no mention of affection with his wife Zipporah either. Moses has certainly impressed his father-in-law!

Priests have sons who become priests, but prophets don’t have sons who become prophets. Prophets are one-off called by God.

Moses went out to meet Jethro, bowed down before him, and kissed him. Moses recounted all that God had done in Egypt and how He delivered His people from Pharaoh. Jethro praised God and brought “a burnt offering and sacrifices” to worship. He said, “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods.” The idea is that the smoke goes up to God and he can detect if it is an acceptable sacrifice. You are to give your best possible sacrifice to the One who is the highest possible order. It is deep and profound. The sacrifice is voluntary and needs to be the innocent. The quality of your sacrifice determines the outcome. It applies spiritually and in work.

Moses had sent Zipporah and their sons back to Midian, rather than take them to Egypt. He is now reestablishing his relationship with his family before he sets up the administration of the nation. There has been:

1. Sustenance – Manna and quail
2. Protecting from enemies – The Amalekites
3. Administration of the nation – Jethro’s advice

These are very important, but the Covenant will be the most important in the establishing of the nation. Jethro is a wise foreigner who takes a different route than the Amalekites in believing in the Lord after hearing the testimony of Moses. Jethro was a hospitable and wise person.

There are many Jews that pray for the restoration of the Temple and the sacrificial system. When the Temple was destroyed it moved to the Synagogue and prayer. Does a sacrifice need to be concrete, or can it be abstract so that we are conscious of it and don’t forget it.

Jethro’s Advice to Moses (18:13-27)

The next day, Moses returned to his usual daily routine of advising and judging the people. From morning till evening, the people came to Moses to ask for direction from God or to settle disputes. They are fighting with each other, and they don’t know what the higher order principle is to be. They are out of tyranny and in the desert, but they have no overarching structure, so they quarrel with each other. Under Pharaoh they had order and being told what to do. In the French Revolution they removed the King but then had no structure to prevent anarchy. It started with atheism, but then moved to become secular. This led to the rise of Napolean and his dictatorship. The battle today in the world is between Mount Sinai revolution and the French Revolution. Who can judge if there is no higher authority – God or man. Moses was in danger of setting him up as Pharaoh by doing this alone.

Jethro told Moses it wasn’t wise for him to busy himself 24/7 with all the small problems in the camp of Israel. Jethro said the job was too much for one man to handle and if Moses continued, he would certainly burn himself out.

Jethro advised Moses to delegate the work. Moses would represent the people to the Lord, handle all the big problems, and teach the laws of God to the Israelites. Trustworthy men would be selected to handle smaller problems. These men would oversee groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.  It is like a military structure. There is a hierarchy from ten people up to God at the top. There is a waterfall of justice all the way down to the people. Justice needs to be applied at the most local level. The Israelites need to learn to act as human beings and not as slaves.

There are a million possible laws that could come about that people want from their disputes to go their way. Using independent and trustworthy wise people to settle small disputes is sensible and let Moses talk to God about the big stuff. The giving of God’s Commandments and other laws will follow to allow for structure and for a justice system.

Notice the four characteristics that were needed to be a judge/leader in the text. It doesn’t say a word about compassionate men.

• Capable
• God fearing
• Men of truth
• Hating corruption – they are not coveting power

Today we are having people decide for themselves how they want to categorise their identity and it is paramount. There are as many genders as there are individuals. That doesn’t work. You need systems of cohesion, or you get disorder. Then you can “walk” together as the dispute is unnecessary moving forward. (vs 20).

Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and selected quality men to judge the people. Afterwards, Jethro departed and returned to his country. It was a very productive visit.

Categories: Exodus